The Bad Guy

2014 Michael Strassburger, Modern Dog Design Co.

We live in a time when some journalists use the term ‘homosexuals’ with sincerity (if you don’t know, the standard entails not removing personhood when referencing a populace; i.e., homosexual people, gay men, etc). This, when more people than not support gay marriage and equal rights. And this is in the US, one of the more progressive and accepting countries for gay people. People have been championing gay rights for decades now, and still the people who get paid to report on them have not managed to grasp the preferred nomenclature.

Now multiply the blithe ignorance, lack of concern, and promulgation of Otherness by approximately five bajillion, and you have entered the wild frontier of how trans issues are frequently treated publicly and by the media. It’s even more pronounced in the world of MMA – an insular and exclusionary world, both by virtue of the polarizing nature of mixed martial arts, and its history of being populated almost entirely by men – the fighters, the fans, those in the industry. In a community so insular, the popular opinion can go largely unchecked, with dissenters ignored or branded outliers. But, as with Adam Hunter’s sexist and transphobic tweets, this can ultimately be a hindrance to mainstream acceptance.

One particularly pernicious and distressing trope evident in the treatment of transgender issues is casting transpeople as villains. Major news outlets generally know enough to be conscious of this, as their visibility means they are under constant scrutiny. In pop culture, we start’em young by showing kids that transgender people are con artists who are ultimately for us to be repulsed by and laugh at. In the MMA world, a UFC fighter can say things so vile he gets suspended and fined, and the story remains largely unknown outside of it. So when big names in MMA such as Joe Rogan and Pat Miletich decide to sermonize on the Inherent Danger of the “Tranny,” the degree to which they are called out is minimal. It happens, to be sure, like here and here and here. But many of their more jingoistic fans are apparently not interested in complex issues with multiple facets, and when authority figures in MMA they respect reassure them that Fallon Fox is still a man, they are ready and happy to believe it. Nevermind what medical experts, the scientific community, the International Olympic Committee, multiple pro-sports organizations, and Fallon Fox herself say about it.

Joe Rogan and Pat Miletich are quick to stipulate to anyone reading/listening that they’re not discriminatory, which helps to quell any blossoming inner conflict one might have about whether it’s okay to feel a measure of contempt/skepticism/disdain for transgender people:

Miletich: I don’t have anything against anybody that’s transgender, gay, or whatever. Whatever they do to their own body is their decision.

Joe Rogan: I support, 100%, anyone’s right to be transgender. This is not where it lies with me, like I’m not a prejudiced person.

How enlightened! In fact, so unconcerned with someone’s gender identity are they that they cannot be bothered to tax themselves with learning much about transgenderism, or indeed, anything at all, as evidenced by rationale supported by knee-jerk reactions and misinformation. Also irrelevant to this discussion, according to Miletich: the subtle nuances between gender identity and sexual orientation.

Look, I don’t have a problem with arrogant blowhards who like to go on tirades villainizing transpeople that they cover with feeble attempts at diplomacy and understanding. If someone wants to remain ignorant on an issue, preach at length about how the issue should be addressed, and what should happen to the people at the heart of it, that’s cool, I support that 100%. I just think they shouldn’t be permitted to broadcast their self-proclaimed ignorant (Rogan: “I don’t know what you’re doing, I don’t know, you mean obviously if you’re transoperational it means you removed your testicles so your body’s not producing testosterone any more. I don’t know if you’re supplementing testosterone.”) and misinformed (Miletich: “I think if you have a Y chromosome in your body, you’re a man, no matter what hardware you have surgically removed, changed or done whatever. You’re still a man.”) opinions to their devoted followers and fans who may take what they say as gospel without facing the repercussions of fostering discrimination and bias.

Oh, I also took the time to fix something Pat Miletich said; he was obviously loopy with transphobia: “Fallon’s confusion gender identity does not transfer over to my confusion comprehension and humanity.” You’re welcome, Pat!!

In reality, that a man (in their eyes) has a sincere desire to remove “his” male genitalia is an idea so foreign and uncomfortable it apparently prohibits them from considering it any further. And because it is so incomprehensible to them, any man who wants to do this must be crazy. They claim they understand, but the callous disregard in almost every other word on the subject suggests otherwise. This is one of the most arrogant, entitled, privileged responses a person can have – their own inability to identify with, or even just comprehend, to any degree, the experiences and motivations of another must mean that they’re right. And to really cement their privilege, they speak without fear of impunity for the misinformation they disseminate to thousands of people in a gross misuse of their influence. They have no reason to believe they will be held accountable; the things Joe Rogan and Pat Miletich said may not have qualified as hate speech, and the companies that employ or work with both took no actions in response. In fact, those who employ Rogan and Miletich couldn’t even be bothered to address the comments made by their employees/representatives, and again, they had no reason to do so. Distrust and bias towards transgender people is discrimination that’s still widely accepted, and inaccurate, demeaning speech can pass with few people beyond the intended targets calling it out.

But Miletich and Rogan have offered some solutions to Fallon Fox’s existence. Of course, we must dismiss out of hand the idea of a transgender fight club; that’s just ridiculous. If you are born into a male body, you’re male, and there’s no room for discussion. But really, it’s fine if you want to be transgender, just as long as you first inform everyone, followed by these simple steps: keep your existence on the down low, don’t try to make a name for yourself in anything, don’t follow your dreams in case you step on their toes, defer to their wishes, listen to what they say, and accept their beliefs as fact. You are permitted to exist on the margins of their consciousness, as anything more central is too uncomfortable to contemplate.

Not to Be Trusted

As we all know, transgender people are shifty, unknown quantities, and we would do well to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our property from them. The underlying fear that we’re being swindled – at any moment, by anyone – is widespread for a very good reason. Most people are trying to swindle you, and with transgender people, it’s more than that – duping people is their life’s work. Luckily, we have people like Joe Rogan who are happy to drop some knowledge for the greater good:

via fightopinion.com

“How about some crazy dude who wants to beat the fuck out of chicks, so he gets his dick chopped off? I mean, that’s not outside the realm of possibility.”

It is not worth your time to consider whether it makes sense someone so misogynistic he wants to be able to beat women legally would be willing to remove what is traditionally the most prominent indicator of the male sex and become the very thing he loathes, in service to his sick, sick desires. The takeaway here is that Fallon Fox is out to trick you, like most “trannies.” Even if she is not ‘some crazy dude,’ there’s still the possibility that this is all an elaborate, surgical ruse – either to be able to beat up on women, or to profit from doing so. So, much like the anti-vaccine crowd, do not trouble yourself with any of the science or medical expertise, and listen to the layman who speaks the truth They want to keep from you, because the possibility is real, friends.

I mean, why else would Fallon Fox keep her true identity from her opponents, as was the case for her first two professional fights? This is obviously the deceitful act of someone out to capitalize on the fact that her male body matured prior to transitioning. Experts Some may claim that her opponents have no legal right to her medical history, given that numerous governing bodies, including the Association of Boxing Commissions and the International Olympic Committee, find she meets their qualifications to compete as a woman, or that Fallon Fox meets the legal and biological markers to be considered a woman. Do not be swayed by this information; as we all know, the Olympics are basically the Grammys of athletic competition.

Thankfully, Fox has been outed, and therefore, given that Mandingo fighting is no longer a thing, any fighters who do not want to fight Fox don’t have to. This simple statement of fact is immaterial, though. Or, I think it is, since the debate about whether Fox should be able to fight inexplicably rages on.

Sometimes, the clues are more subtle. Take the following promo for Fallon Fox’s fight against Ashlee Evans-Smith at CFA 12:

They didn’t want to come right out and say it, knowing how ‘controversial’ and touchy things are regarding Fallon Fox, but it’s all there, for the discerning eye. A dark filter, menacing slow-mo, the grave and super serious announcer – Fox is the bad guy. Her presence ‘has been controversial and criticized,’ while her opponent is a ‘fearless warrior.’ Only someone with the heart of a true champion would dare step into the cage with Fallon Fox. These are true facts.

Allana Jones was also very brave. She was the first fighter to face Fox after Fox was outed as transgender. She could not let the interloper’s audacity pass without comment, and what a novelty Fox was. Amidst the knowing glances at the freakshow about to take place, Jones confidently marched to the cage on the dulcet tones of Aerosmith’s classic rock anthem, “Dude Looks Like a Lady.” Pat Miletich, who was commentating, chuckles and says, “She did it…I guess somebody had to do it,” which really sums it all up. We must not only acknowledge, but also make a point of, how much Fallon Fox doesn’t belong. Luckily, we can all (well, most of us) laugh at Fox’s very existence; it’s easy to do, given that should she vocally object to something – in this case, how she’s treated and portrayed – it carries real risks to her career. This is a time-honored power structure and can occasionally have delightful benefits, such as fueling one’s fantasies via boner-inducing kissy pics.

The transgenders are so driven by their thirst for subterfuge that they live the transgender lifestyle at great personal cost. They are subjected to personal attacks, discrimination, and contempt. Many of their compatriots are assaulted for their duplicity. Some of them die. But the transgenders know that in order to make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs. To achieve absolute infiltration, they must present a plight to the bleeding-heart, liberal, mainstream media that they are misunderstood victims of prejudice – and people must accept it. Only then will they be able to run their scam on the world at large. They want to trick you. If they can lull you into a false sense of security that they’re actual people trying to live their lives as true to themselves as possible, they can convince you of pretty much anything. And imagine the trouble you’ll be in then. They’ll probably take over the world and turn you and all your children into trannies or something and then marry them, idk – but we should be afraid! I can’t really articulate why, but we should be afraid of this slippery slope!

It is words like those of Joe Rogan and Pat Miletich, and the actions like those of Allana Jones, and the representation like that of the promo for CFA 11, that further the marginalization and demonization of transgender people. So, keep it up – you are really doing god’s work here.

And finally, one last note to file away before you are once more unto the breach – be skeptical of so-called “allies,” because they are typically biased in favor of transgender issues/rights/dignity. Fortuitously, just a couple weeks ago, Joe Rogan gave us a surefire indicator that someone has bought in wholesale to the transgender lie, complete with compelling testimony that this vast conspiracy has reached the upper echelons of the medical field. Be on the awares, friends – the threat is real.